Uganda's oil reserves rival Saudi Arabia’s, says US expert

If this is true this could be a boon for the region. With the right infrustructure in place, Mombasa and Dar ports could benefit considerably.

	Quote:
	Uganda's oil reserves rival Saudi Arabia’s, says US expert Written by EDRIS KISAMBIRA Tuesday, 02 June 2009 KAMPALA, UGANDA - Uganda's oil reserves could be as much as that of the Gulf countries, a senior official at the US Department of Energy has said. Based on the test flow results encountered at the wells so far drilled and other oil numbers, Ms. Sally Kornfeld, a senior analyst in the office of fossil energy went ahead to talk about Uganda's oil reservoirs in the same sentence as Saudi Arabia. "You are blessed with amazing reservoirs. Your reservoirs are incredible. I am amazed by what I have seen, you might rival Saudi Arabia," Kornfeld told a visiting delegation from Uganda in Washington DC. The group of Ugandans was in Washington on an international visitor programme and looked at the efficient use of natural energy resources. The group comprised Ministry of Energy officials, a Member of Parliament, members from the civil society and one journalist. At present, Uganda has four oil prospectors on the ground including Heritage Oil, Tullow Oil, Tower Oil and Dominion Oil. Of the four prospectors, Tullow and Heritage have registered success at wells in two blocks in the Albertine basin, which lies in the upper-most part of the western arm of the Great Rift Valley. According to data so far aggregated since the first discovery was made by Australian prospector Hardman Resources (now taken over by Tullow) in June 2006, Uganda has established reserves at 3.5 million barrels of oil per day. Experts in oil exploration say this could be just a tip of the iceberg. The sites are still building pressure and production might well exceed the current figures if what has happened elsewhere like Angola is anything to go by. Flow tests at various wells have indicated flow rates ranging from as low as 1,500 to highs of 14,000 barrels per day. According to earlier releases, the prospectors are now certain that the commercial threshold for development has been exceeded. Mr. Aidan Heavy, Tullow Oil's chief executive officer revealed early in the year that they assigned a dedicated team of experts to deliver a commercial development plan for the entire basin. In April last year, Tullow embarked on what it termed as a major drilling campaign in the Butiaba area around Lake Albert targeting an overall reserve potential in excess of a billion barrels. The Butiaba campaign was preceded by successes in two drilling campaigns in the Kaiso-Tonya area and the Kingfisher field and all these have been 100% successes so far. The Butiaba campaign has thrown up successes but the two biggest so far have been the Buffalo-Giraffe wells - described as "one of the largest recent onshore oil discoveries in Africa". "Combined with our other finds in the region, we have now clearly exceeded the thresholds for basin development," the chief executive of Tullow commented then. The Giraffe-1 exploration well, which is located in the Butiaba region, came up with over 38 metres of net oil pay within an 89-metre gross oil bearing interval. The data from the Giraffe discovery indicate a net reservoir thickness of 38 metres, the largest encountered in the area to date. The Buffalo-1 exploration well in Block 1 encountered 15 metres of net gas pay and over 28 metres of net oil pay. The gas and oil columns encountered are 48 metres and 75 metres respectively with the potential to be even larger. As Kornfeld marveled at Uganda's oil finds, she was quick to add that for the country to benefit from the oil and gas resources but also avoid the pitfalls of oil producing countries like Nigeria, it is extremely important to set up strong governance structures. Kornfeld and the other United States officials said they are ready to help Uganda's nascent oil and gas sector with anything including the key environmental issues that are crucial to the efficient management of oil and gas. "Anything you might want us to help you with we will and we have a lot of expertise in environmental issues relating to oil and gas," Kornfeld said.

http://www.busiweek.com/index.php?op...=1607&Itemid=2

[Ab-Titchaz]

	Quote:	Alpha
	If this is true this could be a boon for the region. With the right infrustructure in place, Mombasa and Dar ports could benefit considerably. East African Business Week - Uganda's oil reserves rival Saudi Arabia’s, says US expert

Not so fast...M-7 is still the President of Uganda and there
is no telling.

[Smatta]

East Africa Community ehhhhhhhhhh... Lets speed up the process, the benefits are beginning to surpass the disadvantages by far.. with Tanzania's under exploited minerals and Ugandas oil, it seems like we East Africans are going to make a kill.

[Nemesis]

Hivi kunaweza kukawa na mafuta Uganda, wakati huohuo Tanzania na Kenya yasiqepo? mimi nadhani hatujatafuta vizuri. Kama mafuta yaliyopo Uganda ni mengi kiasi cha kuwa rival wa Saudi, that means Tz na Kenya yatakuwa zaidi kwasababu ya bahari. Just by a simple geologic knowledge. Endapo Uganda kungekuwa na coal then isiwepo Tanzania au Kenya ningeelewa, au hayo mafuta yangekuwa kiduchu pia ningeshawishika, bali sasa natumaini kuwa Tz na/au Kenya kunamafuta tena mengi tu.

[ByaseL]

Sidhani hizi za mafuta mengi Uganda ni za kweli. Ndio Uganda wamegundua mafuta magharibi ya nchi katibu na DRC lakini sio kwa wingi kulingana na Saudi Arbia. Kuna chunvi imeongezwa kidogo hapa! Mimi nafuatilia habari za Uganda kwa karibu sana maana nimeishi huko zaidi ya miaka kumi. Niwajuavyo waganda habari hii ingekwa kweli basi magazeti muhimu (mainstream) yangepiga wayowe sana. Waganda ni watu wenye kependa sifa sana lakini sijaona habari yoyote kama hiyo. Na wakigundua mafuta kiasi hicho sio lazima iwe neema kwa Uganda na hata East Africa kwa ujumla. Oil has generally been a curse in Africa.

[Smatta]

	Quote:	byasel
	Sidhani hizi za mafuta mengi Uganda ni za kweli. Ndio Uganda wamegundua mafuta magharibi ya nchi katibu na DRC lakini sio kwa wingi kulingana na Saudi Arbia. Kuna chunvi imeongezwa kidogo hapa! Mimi nafuatilia habari za Uganda kwa karibu sana maana nimeishi huko zaidi ya miaka kumi. Niwajuavyo waganda habari hii ingekwa kweli basi magazeti muhimu (mainstream) yangepiga wayowe sana. Waganda ni watu wenye kependa sifa sana lakini sijaona habari yoyote kama hiyo. Na wakigundua mafuta kiasi hicho sio lazima iwe neema kwa Uganda na hata East Africa kwa ujumla. Oil has generally been a curse in Africa.

What can I say about your judgment of Ugandans or other nationalities so to speak? Minerals, not just oil are a curse to Nations.. Tanzania has minerals, its a blessing to them not a curse, SA the same and so many African countries, dont you think Ugandans can do the same and benefit us from the discovered oil, ama sifa zao zita wa prevent ku succeed. You simply come out as a jealous, pesimistic simpleton, who thinks he is much better because he comes from another country.

Why do you doubt the availability of vast oil reserves in Uganda, just because you didnt read it in your favourite Ugandan paper doesnt mean its false or doctored. Ama you think UG doesnt have any mineral potential according to your research.

[MwanaFalsafa1]

	Quote:	Smatta
	What can I say about your judgment of Ugandans or other nationalities so to speak? Minerals, not just oil are a curse to Nations.. Tanzania has minerals, its a blessing to them not a curse, SA the same and so many African countries, dont you think Ugandans can do the same and benefit us from the discovered oil, ama sifa zao zita wa prevent ku succeed. You simply come out as a jealous, pesimistic simpleton, who thinks he is much better because he comes from another country. Why do you doubt the availability of vast oil reserves in Uganda, just because you didnt read it in your favourite Ugandan paper doesnt mean its false or doctored. Ama you think UG doesnt have any mineral potential according to your research.

You are arguing with a person who has probably not done any research to come to that conclusion, there is simply no point of debating with them.

[Offish]

	Quote:	Smatta
	You simply come out as a jealous, pesimistic simpleton, who thinks he is much better because he comes from another country.

I have been observing you - Smatta - for quite sometime now, it seems you can't criticise without insulting, can you?

[Koba]

...natafuta mke wa kiganda sasa!

[Nyani Ngabu]

	Quote:	Koba
	...natafuta mume wa kiganda sasa!

Sishangai hata kidogo....